Dallas (105.3 THE FAN) Leading off my “Jock Itch” for Today: That’s the Trojans of USC!

According to The Dallas Morning News, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is hoping to line his pockets with the help of USC as he’s agreed to a long-term deal to sell merchandise for the school!

Per their article: “Silver Star Merchandising Ltd., an Irving-based company launched last year by the family of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones , has signed a 10-year-deal to be the exclusive maker and distributor of off-field jerseys, hats and other athletic-themed apparel for the University of Southern California. The deal, which takes effect July 1, is the first major college pact for Silver Star Merchandising, said president Jerry Jones Jr., the son of the team owner.” www.dallasnews.com

And in OTHER “itch” worthy news…

There’s a hot new rumor spreading through the NFL that the Redskins’ guy who’s stealing from the company defensive tackle, Albert Haynesworth COULD go to Philly to join the Eagles!

YES! As a Cowboys’ fan, I LOVE that he’ll stay in the division and possibly now be a ball and chain to the EAGLES!

The NFL Network is reporting the following: “There will be teams that are interested, and one of them could be right up the
highway and in the division. Jim Washburn was hired as Philly’s defensive line coach and he was the position coach that was able to get the most out of Haynesworth (in Tennessee). We all know that if Haynesworth is motivated, he is a terror, which is why Washington paid him so much. Not everyone will go after Haynesworth, but I don’t foresee him not being in the NFL next season.” www.nflnetwork.com

I love the “when he’s motivated, he’s a terror” remark.

Yep, we saw what kind of “motivation” his seven-year, $100 million dollar contract brought to the Redskins last year… www.nflnetwork.com

Dennis Rodman likes to give back to his community.

And by “community,” I mean funding the “college” degrees for many women, as he just admitted to dropping $80,000 grand at a strip joint… IN ONE NIGHT!

It was back in 1996, when Dennis had just signed a one-year deal with the Bulls reportedly worth a cool $9 million bucks, and he made it rain like CRAZY at a nudie club!

But it looks like things haven’t changed much for Dennis, as he’s embarking on his 50th birthday. He wants to party it up in a strip club and even hints about an outfit he plans to wear for the upcoming induction into the Hall of Fame.

Rumor Dennis has it that it may or may not include (and not be limited to) the following: a circus clown, midget, and drag queen.

Like I always say: you can take the basketball player out of the fishnets, but you can’t take the fishnets out of the basketball player… www.tmz.com

The Seattle Times is reporting that “Downtown” Freddie Brown’s 1979 championship ring brought him a HUGE payday, to the tune of just over $115,000 grand!

The Sonics legend sold it after his WIFE found it while doing some spring cleaning! It was actually HER idea to hawk it and he AGREED!

Freddie! No man with his own set of testicles STILL in his possession sells his CHAMPIONSHIP ring because his woman told him to! WTH is the matter with you!??!

Freddie also ended up selling his old Sonics road uniform for just over $4,000 thousand bucks, along with some other items; items I’m sure his WIFE made him sell off! www.seattletimes.com

Andrew Bynum is third in line on Kobe’s list, according to…. Kobe himself.

Ouch.

Kobe was talking about Andrew Bynum being raised on the chain of priorities on the offense. Well, Kobe was quick in saying, “Ultimately, he’ll have to fall in line because I’m gonna shoot the ball. We all know that. Pau is going to get his touches. He’s No. 2. And then [Andrew] will have to fall in line.”

Relax, Kobe. The Lakers are STILL your team. You can STILL stick your tongue out and you can STILL hoard the ball all to yourself. No one’s taking that away from you, okay? Let’s learn to all share our toys in the sandbox, Kobe Wobe. Oh, and maybe learn to close at least ONE playoff game next year, like you typically boast in doing… www.sports.yahoo.com

So if you’ve watched any B0-sox baseball and you happen to hate the team, then you’ve been reveling in delight, just as I’ve been, in the sub-.500 season average they’re putting up right now.

And John Lackey isn’t helping their case ONE bit. In fact, as of mid last week, he was toting an ERA of 8.01 and opponents are hitting .317 against him!

After his latest tragedy against the Blue Jays last week (to the tune of a nine-hit, nine-run, five-walk meltdown, to be specific) he said, “It’s got to turn sometime. Everything in my life sucks right now, to be honest with you.”

Fooey! Did you cross your arms over your chest and pout while you said that too, John? www.weei.com

The NCAA is spending BOO-COO bucks to protect the precious “March Madness” term, to the tune of $17 MILLION bucks!

USA Today is reporting that the NCAA paid $17,200,000 to Intersport (a sports and entertainment marketer) to stop them from being able to use the phrase, “March Madness.”

Per the article: “The settlement, spelled out in financial statements but unbeknown to most in the member schools and
conferences, gives it sole ownership of a trademark that has been the subject of several legal disputes and challenges over the years. While large on its face, the eight-figure amount accounts for less than 2½% of the association’s $700 million-plus budget.”

Is this where I interject the fact that the NCAA makes nearly 90 PERCENT of its annual income from the “Big Dance?”

Check this portion of the article out: “Television rights and marketing fees, almost all derived from the annual three-week Division I tournament, account for 86% of the NCAA’s annual revenues, and it scrupulously polices any unauthorized use of
‘March Madness.’”

“Iger went on to note that ESPN holds the rights to air nearly 300 NCAA football games, which would serve as contextually appropriate replacement programming in the event of the NFL season being scuttled. “We will see some extremely,
extremely improved pricing for ESPN’s college football games. CPMs will be up, rates will be up,” Iger said. “They’ll probably expand their format so that they’ll add more inventory in order to take advantage of that. So the significant increases we’ll see not just in college football but in other ESPN programming will offset, at least somewhat, the impact of a [lockout].”

And if you’re ESPN, you’re probably saying, “Damn, it feels good to be US because we have the LEAST to lose among the NFL’s network TV partners!

Again, per AD Weekly: “Under terms of its rights deal, ESPN’s Monday Night Football carries the lightest spot load of the NFL’s TV partners, with ad sales adding up to around $175 million. By comparison, Fox last season had the most skin in the
game, having generated more than $975 million in ad dollars with its Sunday NFC package.” More college football? Um, YES PLEASE! www.adweek.com

And finally…

For the TRUE sports fan out there, a new phone app: Behold, the Sports Hex is now available on iTunes for .99!

Yes, that’s right! For just under a buck, YOU TOO can place a curse on an opposing team or player in the form of Voodoo, Brujeria, or Chaos Witchcraft!

Per the iTunes official description: “Sports Hex is an application that allows fans to cast hexes on opposing teams or players using real practicioners of black magic. Identify your target, select a hex/practicioner, and hit the “cast” button. Your target’s name is instantly sent to an inbox which has been cursed by the chosed practicioner.”

Because NOTHING is more terrifying than a fat fan with a painted beer belly with the ability to place hexes now… www.itunes.com